Vacuum breaker



VACUUM BREAKER lFiled sept. 14, 1934 w. E. `sLoAN ETAL.

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77????24772 C5/0x72 fraz' zuSQ-ZZ @y lh AtCOTgS vfrom a toilet bowl or the like.

Patented Dec. 24, 1.940*l PAT/ENT OFFICE VACUUM BREAKERA William E. Sloan and Irving H. Russell, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Sloan Valve Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application september 14,1934, serial ra. 743,976

10 Claims.

Our invention relates to an improvement in vacuum breakers and has for one purpose Vthe provision of an improved vacuum breaker-for employment with pipes delivering water or other liquids. A'particularly apt use of our invention is for flush valves for toilets, urinals, or the like, but we wish it understood that our invention is not limitedY to this specific use. Onevobject of our invention is to prevent back-syphonage of water Another object is the prevention'of any freezing or sticking from lack of use or corrosion. Another object isthe provision of means for permitting the use of a large air inlet withsuflicient air to satisfy the vacuum. Another object is the provision of means for maintaining atmospheric pressure at the spud of the flirturein order to prevent ,water from rising in the flush pipe during a vacuum. Other objects V'will appear from time to time in the course of the a closet bowl, urinal or the like. Inasmuch as the details do not of themselves form part of the present invention th'eyare not shown. 2 indicates any suitable water supply pipe Awhereby water may be passed'for the flushing of the toilet. 3 indicates Yany suitable flush valve structure the details of which are not herein shown,- although this invention is adapted to bebuilt into the flush valve as an integral part of it. Itwill be understood, howeverjthat the handle 4 may be manually employed to actuate the flush valve 3 whereby a predetermined quantity of water-is allowed to pass through thepipe Y2Y-to-fthe fixture I in order to flush it. =5 generally'illustrates our vacuum breaker, it being shown asinterposed between the flush valve and the fixture -I, to whichv it maybe connected, for example,'by any suitable pipe or connection 6. 'I'he member' 5 maybe *threaded to the pipe 6 as vat 1. It may be provided with any suitable threaded locking connection 8 whereby itmay be secured to the lower portion'of the flush valve 3. 9 is any suitable leakage preventing washer.` I indicates a'member or seat screwthreaded into one portion scribed lever 35. This lever structure includes a of the member Sand provided with a lip II upon which the washer 9 is positioned. It will be understood that normally the water discharge through the flush valve 3 passes downwardly through the member I0 and out through the pipe s to the fixture.

The member is shownas having a lateral enlargement generally indicated as I2 which isprovided with an upper aperture screwthreaded as at I3 to receive a guide or spider including the outer annulus I4, the inner cylindrically apertured sleeve I5 and the connecting members I6. The sleeve portion I5 is extended upwardly as at I1 to receive a bell shaped protector or cover I8 which may be mounted in place as by any suitable pin or bolt I9'. 5 Its lower edge extends downwardly aboutv and below the upper edge 2| of the annulus I4, Whereby there is room for a free circulation of air upwardly about the edge 20, over the edge 2l, and downwardly through the space about the sleeve I5.

The annulus I4 is herein shown as terminating in a valve seat 22 having a relatively sharp inneredge 23 as the lowest portion thereof. Adapted to be positioned against this valve seat 23 is the rubber valve member 24 which may be formed 2 with any suitable brass or metallic insert 25 mounted upon a stem 26. Theupper portion of the stem 26, herein shown as hexagonal in cross section, penetrates the interior of thesleeve I5. The lower portion is reduced and is screwthreaded as at 21 to receive a Weight 23. Washers29, 30. may be employed to abut against the upper and vlovver edges of the rubber valve portion 24. 1f desired, instead of the screwthreadlng 21, or to supplement it, a set screw 3| may be employed to 35 hold the weight 28 on the pin 26 and to lock the entire assembly together. It will be understood that the pin 28 `is intended to slide freely within the sleeve I5. We find it advantageous to form the exteriorof the pin in such fashion that it does 40 not oppose extended abutting surfaces of metal v to the metal of the sleeve I5. Employing a hexagonal cross section inserted within a cylindrical walled sleeve tends to prevent the probability of its becoming frozen in place by lack of use or corrosion.

While ,the upward movement of the valve 24 is limited by its engagement with the lip 23, its downward movement is limitedV by the below decentral hub or enlargement 36 which may rotate about the transverse pin 31. One end of the lever is provided with amore or less rounded abutment portion 39 against which the weight 28 Igravitally-seats itself. The opposite arm 40 of 55 the lever terminates in a sleeve 4| having an aperture 42 through which passes a pin 43 headed as at 44. 'I'his pin is in more or less looseflt in relation to the aperture 42. It carries at its upper end a lever actuating disc 45 adapted to seat snugly against the opposed lower edge 46 of the member il. The disc 45 has formed in its upper surface one or more relatively shallow depressions 41 the purpose oi.' which will later appear.

In the use of our device, when the valve is not being employed, the weight 28 rests upon the rounded end 38 of the lever arm 35 and thereby forces the opposite arm into the position in which it is shown in full line in Figure 2. This snugly seats the actuating disk 45 against the opposed surface 46 of the member Il. Air can freely pass inwardly about the sleeve I5 and downwardly about the valve member 24 into the passage 6, whereby a large volume of air may be admitted at the end of each flush. This air inlet, being covered by a bell or cover, is well protected and is not easily stopped up, even intentionally. The normal position o! the device is that shown in full line in Figure 2, with the weight 28 in its lower position, and a substantial clearance between the valve 24 and the opposed valve seat 23. The weight 28 is sufllcient to hold the actuating disc 45 snugly in the position in which it is shown in Figure 2 against the opposed surface 46. Inthe event that a vacuum occurs above saiddisc, atmospheric air can slowly pass into the space above the disc through the passages 41. Small apertures through the discmight be employed,v but we rind it preferable to form the shallow apertures 41 in the face of the disc, as they are less likely to be stopped When a user actuates the ilush valve, as by pressure upon the manual handle 4, a substan- 40 tial amount of water is rather suddenly released through the flush valve 3 and flows through the member l0. The pressure or impact of this water against the actuating disc 45 is suihcient to lower the lever arm 40 and to raise the lever arm 45 as, with the result that the valve surface 24 1s snugly thrust against the opposed valve seat 23,

cutting off any entry of air or escape of water aboutthe bell or cover I8. This valve is closed as long as the flush water is passing downwardly o to the pipe 6. The air valve 24 closes instantly at the slightest ilow of water through the flush outlet, through the action of the disc 45. It is kept tightly seated and leak-prooi during the flush, not only by the flow or water on and about the disc 45, but by the water pressure against the lower side of the air valve. When the ush water has ceased to ilow the valve 24 is mechanically unseated by the following factors. In the iirst place, the weight of the parts, including the weight 28, tends to clear the valve. In the second place, the partial vacuum occurring at the end of each ilush, due to the water dropping down the flush connection, tends to draw the valve 24 downwardly. In the third place, there is the tendency of the soft rubber seat 24 to resist compression and to throw itself oil' from the metal-seat 23 above it.

The disc 45 in the ilush outlet has two main functions. In the ilrst place, it closes the air v'alve during the ilush, in the manner above outlined. In the second place, through the apertures 41 it gradually admits air to the supply line if there is a vacuum in the supply pipe, while at the same time maintaining atmospheric pressure below the disc. When such a vacuum occurs it is desirable that it be slowly broken, soA as to preventV a vacuum of any degree below the disc; and a drawing up of water thereby. The close fit between the disc 45 and the opposed surface 46 prevents this sudden back pressure or drawing up of water, but it gradually disperses the vacuum above the disc. The relatively shallow apertures or grooves have Ythe advantage of being not readily stopped' up or clogged. The loose ii-t' oi the pin 43 permits the disc 45Vv to` seatY itself snugly against the opposed surface 4.6.

The above described vacuum breaker may be employed in a wide. number of uses but oper ates particularly well on closet and urinal bowls where a periodic or' occasional flushing isr desired. It will operate properly on any closet bowl, regardless of back pressure, when prop-v erly installed above the spill line of the ilxturm. and will prevent baek-syphonage with any de.- gree of vacuum in the. supply line. Itsr action is independent of the ilush valve and it will work with any flush valve or flush water supp-ly or control means. It is simply and easily applied to any installation. It has. no springs or ball?. mechanism to get out of order. Atmospheric pressure is maintained at the spud oil the sani tary xture at all times, so. that a vacuum never reaches thel spud. Practicev has-provedv that in spite of the large volume ofv airl admitted at the. end of each flush, the. operation is quiet and free; from aixnoises. Nothing that will go through. a flush valve can clog or damage: our vacuum breaker, as the smallest 'opening 'in the breaker is much larger than the maximum opening through any ilush valve.v

It will be realized that. whereas` weV have. de` scribed and shown a practical and operative device, nevertheless many changes may be made inthe size, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing from the spirit o! our invention. We therefore wish our drawing and de,- seription to be taken as in a broad sense illustative and diagrammatic rather than as limit-- ing us to our specific showing. It. will. be also understood that whereas our invention may be particularly applied to ilush valves we do` not wish its use to be so limited.

We claim: y

l. In a vacuum breaker, a water inlet connected with a source of water supply, an air inleton the discharge side of the water inlet and communicating with the atmosphere, a chamber'.v with which. both the water inlet and the air inletA commuo nicate, said chamber providing atf all times a4 free: open communication between the water inlet and the. air inlet, said chamber having ari-outlet,l a pivoted lever located in. said chamber, one endl of said lever projecting under the waterv inlet, a valve member lconnected. with saidy end. for controlling the passage of air said water inlet in a reverse direction to that of. the,v passagey of the water therethrough, the other end of. saidv lever projecting under said. air` inlet, a valveV member at said latter end for controlling saidjir inlet so that when water tlowsthrough the: water inlet it strikes the water inlet valve member"v and. through the agency of saidv lever moves theair inlet valve member to close said inlet. ta prevent waterl from escaping therethrough, and when the water ceases to now through said-water:y inlet 'l0 through said water inlet in a reverse direction to 75 is open; whereby syphonage isi prevented vacuum om the: supply side ot the water inlet. ist gradually broken.; f

i 2*.. mvacuuma 'a water inlet connected-1 with a sourceI of: waterIsuppiy-,vanl air inlet on` the discharge side; of the; water-inlet. and. communieatingrwith: the V atxrrospliere,` ai chamber withwhich both the water-inlet'and theair inlet: communi. said'chamber providing" at' all times a treeV operrcommxmicadiiiem between. the water and air inlet'hsaid-ehamberhaving outlet, apivoted lever* located in chamber, one end of lever" projeeting under water ai valve: member: connected with saldi end for con-l trolling passagerv ot air'` through. said water inlety a. reverse direction to' that otxthel passage or. thel water therethrouglnthej other.` end. of. said lever` projecting under1said'airinlet a valve mem-` ber' atfsaidlatter' end?. for controlling' said. air inlet so. that; when` water nowsf through. the` water inlet itA the;r water inlet-valve" member,` and through agency otsaid lever. moves the* air4 inletavalvee membera tav closef said. to: pre,- vent: waterl from. escaping therethrough. andv whenv the' waterceases. tof flow through. said. water inlet said. lever automaticallymoves to close said water inlet and open saidairvinlet, said water inlet valve member being.' provided. .with a leaking, means through. whichfair trom. thejairA inlet; passes through saidwater inlet' in. a reverse. direction *to that: ot' the ilowf ofthe: water. therethroughv when the: ain inlet i's3 opera, whereby syphonage is prevented any`A on the supplyside. oi'. the

l water'inletiis graduallybrolrenglsaid air inletvalve member aind walter valve member; being adjustably supported on l'ever.

3i.. In a. vacuums breaker', a. water inlet connected with` a. source; ot' water"supply,van air inlet on the disclfargey sidefof the;Y waterv inlet; and communicating with the: atmosphere, a chamber with which lnatl'rv the: water inlet andthe air inlet communicate; saldi chamber'v providing at. all. times tree open comxnunieati'orr between the water inlet. andi. the: air iin-let., chamber: an

outlet', a. pivoted lever located i-n said chamber, onezend otsaid. level:t projecting under the water inlet., a vallvemember' eonnectediwithsaid.. end tor: controlling: the passage ot air through said waiierrinletzl in: a. reverse: direction to that of theoii the therethrough; the. other end of lever' prodectingi under:l sai'd air' inlet, a valvei member' said latter end' for controlling .saldi air inlet.; softhati' when water flows: through the water inlet. strikes'. the? water' inlet valve memben, and the agency of' said lever moves? inlet:- valve: member to. close said to,- .prewent from. escaping thereand:` when. thel water:l ceases. .to now through. said water said lever.= automatically moves? tos close said. water' inlet:` and open said' air i'nl'ets said water-f.h'rliet valve memberA being proa. leaking means through. which air from they ali'.v inlet'. passes; through said water inlet in. a. reverse. direction to; that of the flow of. the

water' therethrough. when theV air' inlet. is open, wherebysyphonagefi's prevented and any vacuum on the. supply sde of. theV water inlet. is gradually broken', thel air inlet being provided with a projecting: portionwhich prodectsf into. said chamber and is surrounded' by' an air space and which is: engaged by' the; airv inlet. valve. member.

4.. .livacuum` breaking. device for use in connection with. hush valves; having water supply and discharge pipes, comprising. means for introducing airV into the discharge pipe of said flush valve,

said introducing means including an air opening intothe? discharge pipeapproirimately as large as the supply pipe, and a limiting admission means for admitting a limited amount of air from the discharge pipe into the supply pipe ofk said flush valve, so that a vacuum on the supply side of the water inlet isV gradually broken, said limiting means including ar check-valve' which opens freely to permit discharge oi' water, but which closes to prevent. passage .back of more than the said limited amount oi air when a vacuum in the supply pipe is being. broken, whereby the contemporaneous formation of a vacuum condition in the discharge pipe is substantially prevented.

5. Means for passing water to a subjacent device from a water suppLv means and for preventing back now of water from said device to said supply means when the pressure in the latter` falls below the pressure of the atmosphere, comprising va casing formed with a water inlet ini its top wall for water from said 'supply means,

` a lower water outlet to said device, and an air inlet opening in its top wall laterally displaced from said' water inlet, a verticallyl disposed tubular member mounted in said opening and formed at its. lower end with a valveseat and having a it extends across yand closes said water inlet,

bu-t adapted to be turned into a lower position to openI said' water'inlet by water owing into said casing through said water inlet, said lever having at its other end an uprising portion with a convex upper surface and a weighted valve member having an uprising stem working in said guide, and having a smooth underside engaged and supported on said convex upper surface of said lever and moved by the latter into position, to engage said seatI and close the passage through saidv tubular member when theilrst mentioned valve member is moved into its open position, and adapted to move downward under gravitational action, when-no water is passing through the latterA into .said casing through said water inlet, to thereby open said passage and turn the first mentioned. valve member into position to close said waterY inlet.

6'. 'A vacuum-breaking device for a liquid-discharge line descending to a receptacle open to atmosphere, comprising a casing adapted for connection into said line and provided with a descending passageway constituting, when installed, a portion of said line; said passageway including a liquid inlet at the top, a liquid outlet at the bottom,

and a central chamber connectingsaid inlet with 'said outlet, there being an air inlet into the central chamber located higher than the liquid` inlet and laterally displaced therefrom; valve means in said central chamber including a valve portion of said line; said passageway including a 7 liquid inlet at the top, a liquid outlet at the bottom, and a central chamber connecting vsaidjlnlet with said outlet, there being an'` air inlet into the central chamber located above the liquid inlet and laterally displaced therefrom; valve means in said central chamber including a valve for closing said liquid inlet when liquid is not being discharged, and a valve -for closing said air inlet when liquid is being discharged; and lever means interconnecting said valves to cause either to close when the other is opened, means being included in the structure for causing the air valve to stand in open position and the liquid'valve to stand in closed position whenever no liquid is being discharged.

8. A vacuum-breaking device for a liquid-dischargev line descending to a receptacle open to atmosphere, comprising a `casing adapted for connection into said line and provided with a descending passageway constituting, when installed, a portion of said line; said passageway including a liquid inlet at the top, a liquid outlet at the bottom and a central 4chamber connecting said inlet with said outlet, there being an air inlet into the central chamber located above the liquid inlet and laterally displaced therefrom; valve means in said central chamber including a valve for closing said liquid inlet when liquid is not being discharged, and a valve for closing said air inlet when liquid is being discharged; means including a lever pivoted intermediate its ends for interconnecting said valves to cause either to close when the other is opened; and weight means associated with said air valve and the related end oi said lever for overbalancing the other end of said lever and the liquid-inlet valve to enable the air valve to fall by gravity to open position and to raise the liquid valve against gravity to closed position when no liquid is being discharged.

9. A vacuum-breaking device for a liquid-discharge line descending to a receptacle open to atmosphere, comprising a casing adapted for connection into said line and provided with a vertical passageway constituting, when installed, a portion of said line; said passageway including a liquid inlet at the top, a liquid outlet at the bottom vertically aligned with said inlet, and an enlarged central chamber connecting said inlet with said outlet, there being an air inlet into the central chamber laterally displaced from the liquid inlet; valve means in said enlarged central chamber including a valve foi-.closing said liquid inlet when liquid is not being dischargedrand a valve for closing said air.' .inletfwhenfsliquid isy being discharged; lever means interconnecting said valves to cause either to closev when the other is opened; and weight means associated with vsaid air valve for overbalancing the weight ofv the liquid-inlet valve to enable Athe air valve to fall by gravity to open position and raisethe liquid valve to closed positionwhen no liquid is being discharged, said lever interconnection being such that the air valve is closed responsive. to a small angular movement of said lever when discharging liquid strikes the water-.inlet valve and `forces it open, said central chamber being enlarged env tirely around `the liquid-inletvalve to enable kan unrestricted discharge to occur when the control lever is given only a short angular movement, While the liquid-inlet valve remains interposed in the direct line of liquid discharge through the device to receivethe vimpact of the discharge stream and maintainthe airvalve tightly closed independent of super-.atmospheric pressure within the chamber. v,

' 10. A vacuum-breaking device for a liquicldischarge line descending to a receptacle open to atmosphere, comprising -a casing adapted for connection into said line and provided with a descending passageway constituting, when installed, a portion of said line; said passageway including a liquid inlet at the top,va liquid outlet and an enlarged central chamber connecting said inlet with said outlet, there being an air inlet into the central chamber laterally displaced from the liquid inlet; valve means in. said .enlarged central chamber including a valve for closing` said liquid inlet when liquid is not being-discharged, and a valve for closing said air inlet when liquid is being discharged; means including a lever pivoted intermediate its ends for interconnecting said valves to cause either to close when the other Ais opened; and leak means-associated with said liquid-inlet valve for insuring Ythat a sub-atmospheric pressure in the liquid-discharge` line above the. liquidinlet valve results in air, admitted throughvthe `open air-inlet valve, by-passing the closed liquidinlet valve to cushion Athe surge back when superatmospheric pressure` is resumed.

WILLIAM E. sLoAN. IRVING H. RUSSELL. 

